The basic structure of a conventional DC type plasma display panel is illustrated in FIG. 1.
A plurality of barriers 30 of a certain height are arranged parallel to each other at a predetermined interval between the rear substrate 20 and front substrate 10.
A group of transparent anodes 40 parallel to the barriers 30 are formed on the inner surface of the front substrate 10 between barriers 30 while a plurality of cathodes 50 are arranged in stripes on the inner surface of the rear substrate 20 and crossing the anodes 40 at right-angles thereto.
In the conventional plasma display panel, discharge light produced within the intervals between transparent anodes 40 and the cathodes 50, is viewed at the front substrate 10 and through transparent anodes 40. Subsequently, much of the discharge light is absorbed by the transparent anodes 40, degrading the luminance of the viewed picture. In addition, the conventional plasma display panel does not have constant luminance throughout the screen because the anodes 40 are made of a highly resistive material, for example, indium tin oxide.
In order to alleviate the foregoing shortcomings, a plasma display panel as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 has been introduced. This plasma display panel was designed to directly pass the discharged light produced in the space between the anodes and the cathodes to the front substrate without interference from the anodes. To accomplish this, the plasma display panel has a plurality of barriers 30' of a predetermined height arranged as parallel stripes and used as spacers to maintain a predetermined distance between a front substrate 10 and rear substrate 20, while anodes 40', parallel to barriers 30', are embedded in one flank of every barrier 30' on the inner surface of the front substrate 10. A plurality of striped cathodes 50 are formed on the inner surface of the rear substrate 20 crossing the anodes 40' at right angles thereto.
The plasma display panel with the above structure is characterized in that only a portion of each anode 40' is embedded in the flanks of the barriers.
In the structure of the above plasma display panel the placement of anodes is different from FIG. 1 so that the discharge light produced in the space between anodes 40' and cathodes 50 does not pass through the anodes 40'. Therefore, unlike the prior art plasma display panels, the anode 40' can be made of a more conductive material, for example, metallic paste.
This plasma display panel, however, still has an inevitable shortcoming whereby discharge light is partially cut-off by the portion of anodes 40' projecting from the barriers 30'. Moreover, directive luminance that is the luminance of discharged light as viewed from the front, alters its subject according to the direction of the viewer, for example as in FIG. 3, direction a or direction b.